Mail-receptacle



(NoModeL) A. HDLTUM. MAIL R-ECEPTAGLE.

Patented May 30, 1893.

MOW (945/ WWw Urirrn STATES ATENT m tes,

ANDREIV HOLTUM, OF RACINE, IVISCONSIN.

MAI L- RECEPTAC LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,550, dated May 30, 1893.

Application filed October 18, 1892. Serial No. 449,245. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW HOLTUM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Racine, in the county of Racine, and in the State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Receptacles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail boxes or receptacles and relates more particularly to an improved device adapted to operate a signal when niailis deposited in the receptacle.

The accompanying drawing illustrating my said invention is a central vertical sectional View of a mail box constructed in accordance with my invention.

In said drawing:A represents the mail box or receptacle which may be made of any desired or convenient shape or size.

B represents the lid of the box which normally closes the aperture at the top of the box for the admission of mail. The lid 13 is hinged to the box or receptacle A at Z), and is provided with an arm 0 arranged to extend inwardly beyond the hinge b.

D D represent the circuit wires of an electric circuit which includes a battery E and a signaling device F which may be of any desired form or construction, that shown in the drawing being an electric bell. The circuit wires D and D are electrically connected with suitable pins or bolts G G respectively, which extend through the wall of the box and are insulated therefrom by means of bushings g g respectively, made of suitable insulating material.

A spring H is secured to the inner end of the pin or bolt G, and extends overthe inner end of the other pin or bolt G which terminates in a contact point I. The spring H is normally out of contact with the point I and is located in the path of the free end of the arm O. It follows from this construction that when the lid is raised, the arm 0 will be moved into engagement with the spring II, so as to press its free end into contact with the point I. hen said spring II is brought into electrical contact with the point I, the circuit will obviously be completed from the battery E through wire D, bolt G, spring II, point I, bolt G, wire D, and bell F back to battery, thus operating to ring the bell to indicate to persons at points remote from the receptacle A, that mail has been deposited therein. I prefer to arrange the arm 0 so as to engage with the spring H to close the circuit, with a comparatively slight movement of the lid B, so that in case the lid is simply raised sufficiently to introduce a letter, the signal will be operated. 'On the other hand, I prefer to arrange the arm 0 so that in case the lid is pened to its fullest extent, the circuit will be first completed and then broken again as the lid approaches the limit of its upward movement, by arranging the arm 0 so as to move out of engagement with the spring 11 when the lid 13 and arm 0 reach the positions indicated in the drawing by the dotted lines. By this construction, the signal is operated whenever the lid is opened and in case papers or parcels are inserted in the opening in the top of the receptacle, but do not drop through said opening into the receptacle so as to permit the lid to close, the signal will only be operated as the lid is being opened but not while it is held fully open. In this manner, long continued operation of the signal is obviated and the battery is consequently prevented from running down and becoming exhausted.

My improved device is at once exceedingly simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and effective in its operation.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure byLettcrs Patent, is-

A mail receptacle, comprising a suitable box, having a contact spring secured to the inner rear wall thereof, a contact pin projecting from said wall in line with the free end of said contact spring and normally free from contact therewith, circuit wires electrically connected with said spring and said pin, a suitable source of electric current and a signaling device in circuit with said wires, a front opening to said box, and a hinged lid having an inward projecting arm integral therewith, free from contact with said spring when the said lid is fully opened or closed, but adapted to impinge against said spring in the act of opening or closing said lid, and thereby to close the electric circuit and oper- 5 ate the said signal, substantially as set forth. In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of lVisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREXV IIOLTUM.

Witnesses:

MICHAEL SOENS, FRED STOECKLE. 

